Fenders and Rear Rack

The Blackrock X1 comes with fenders front and back and a rear rack stamped for 25 kg. Both are fitted from the start, not sold as extras, which is what makes the difference between a bike you ride for fun and a bike you actually run errands on.

What the rack carries

Twenty five kilograms is the figure stamped on the rack. In practice that covers most of what people want to move on a bike:

• Panniers. A pair of bags hung off the sides is the tidiest way to carry a load, because the weight sits low and beside the wheel instead of high above it.
• A basket or a milk crate. Bolted or strapped to the top of the rack, a crate is the cheapest and most useful way to carry things there is. Groceries go in, tools go in, and nothing needs unpacking at the other end.
• A strapped load. A toolbag, a feed sack, a case of something. Bungee cords or a cargo net over the top.

Two things are worth doing with any load. Keep the weight as low and as far forward on the rack as it will sit, because weight high and behind the back axle makes the steering feel light. And keep it strapped down properly, so nothing can swing into the wheel or the derailleur.

Pulling away with a loaded rack is easier on the throttle than on the pedals, which is covered on the throttle and gears page.

The fenders

Fenders front and back keep the road off you. Without a rear fender, a wet road puts a wet stripe up your back within a kilometre. Without a front one, the spray goes onto your feet, your drivetrain and your brakes.

On a fat tire bike the fenders are working with a wide tire that throws up a correspondingly wide spray, so having them fitted properly matters. It means you can ride to work on a damp morning in the clothes you intend to arrive in, and it means grit is not being flung straight into the moving parts every time the road is wet.

Keeping them right

Fenders are simple, and the only thing they ask is that the mounting bolts stay tight. A loose stay starts to rattle, and a fender that has shifted can rub the tire. If you hear a new noise after a rough section of road, the fender stays are the first thing to check, and it is a two minute job with a basic tool kit.

The rack and the fenders are listed with the rest of the components on the specifications table. If the bike is going to be carrying loads regularly, the removable battery is worth understanding as well, since a loaded bike asks more of the pack. The X1 product page lists what is fitted when the bike arrives.